1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shift lever assembly for a manually activated automotive transmission for selecting a desired gear stage, and its method of assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to a shift lever assembly having its lower portion mounted on a transmission body and operatively connected with the transmission. An upper lever portion of the shift lever assembly is detachably connected to the lower portion of the shift lever assembly to facilitate assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automotive transmissions having a shift lever mounted thereon for manually selecting a desired gear stage are notoriously old. Usually, the shift lever is long in configuration and protrudes upwardly from the rear end of the transmission. Transporting such transmissions from a stock supply to an automobile assembly line, and setting in an automobile body, is difficult and awkward. For this reason, it has already been proposed to provide a shift lever assembly consisting of a lower lever installed on the transmission body and an upper lever removably connected with the lower lever. By these arrangements, transport of the transmission and setting same in the automobile body are greatly facilitated. The upper lever is removed from the lower lever during transport and reconnected when the transmission has been put in place in the automobile body.
Known couplings for connecting the upper lever with the lower lever include use of splines on the outer surface of the lower end of the upper lever, and mating splines on the inner surface of the upper end of the lower lever, and fastening the two levers together by bolts and the like.
Another technique for coupling is shown in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 58-114396 filed on July 25, 1983 and published for public inspection on Feb. 20, 1985 under the Disclosure No. 60-25025. This coupling is generally shown in FIG. 6 of the present application and designated prior art. As shown, the upper lever of the coupling is connected with the lower lever by an internally threaded cap nut D. An enlarged shaft E threaded at its free end is secured on the upper end portion of the lower lever A. Projections B, having a rectangular cross section, extend from the free end of shaft E and are received in a bore having a rectangular cross section defined in lower end portion C' welded to the lower end of upper lever C. Cap nut D engages with a shoulder formed on lower end portion C' as it is screwed onto the threads of shaft E.
In the arrangement where the upper lever and the lower lever are connected by splines, the manufacturing of these splines is too difficult, time-consuming and labor intensive. When using a cap nut for connecting the upper lever C with the lower lever A, as shown in FIG. 6, the cap nut may loosen easily due to frequent operation of shift lever and vibration. If the cap nut becomes loose, fluctuation between the upper lever C and the lower lever A will result and the feel of the shift lever to the driver will become extremely desensitized.